In this very real battle that we are in, we have been given a single, close-range weapon to fight with. Why a sword? How do we use it? Why is it important to me? These questions and more answered in this week’s podcast.
Lifegroup discussion questions are below!
Once again, this week’s question list is brought by guest blogger, Lynsie McDaniel. Thanks, Lynsie, for helping us out with these!
As always, if you are the leader of the discussion in your group, have everyone open to this page on their mobile device. Encourage everyone to read along together. These discussion questions are based in this past Sunday’s message. They can always listen by subscribing at orchardellijay.com.
We’re talking about offense
Last week we talked about being prepared for battle on a defensive side. This week we switch over to the offense. Discuss the difference in preparing for offense vs. defense in a game or a battle. Is the mind set the same or different? Is the prep the same or different? Are the tools for training the same or different? Are the practices and drills the same or different?In LifeGroups previously we discussed preparing ourselves with the belt of truth. We focused on using truth, the truth coming from God and His word, in a way that fills our mind. It gets us ready and prepares us for a place of victory. Does anyone have a victory or example of using the belt of truth this past week?Steve brought out how many of us like the idea of the armor keeping us safe, a distance away from the battle, but within this list of armor in Ephesians is one offensive weapon,
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
-Ephesians 6:17
If you were present Sunday you saw the sword Steve was holding in church, if you weren’t there I am sure you have seen a sword. It doesn’t fire like a cannon, it doesn’t give us the chance to pierce from far away like a javelin, instead the sword tells us we are going to be fighting and up close and personal battle, and wielding a sword is hard work!Sunday in the sermon Steve talked about this closeness is where Satan wants to be. How does this position benefit him? How can the proximity instead be turned against Satan if we know how to use our weapon properly?
A Powerful Weapon
Let’s move to this powerful gift God has given us. Do you know the power of God’s word? Do you believe it is powerful? God spoke the whole world into being. Look at Genesis 1, look for phrases like “God said” “God called”, those phrases resulted in sky, Earth, animals, life! But sometimes we settle for it being a book. Had you heard the terms Graphe, Logos, and Rhema before Sunday? Help each other understand these terms and the differences between.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
-Hebrews 4:12 ESV
Talk through this verse. What does it mean for the word of God to be living? Active? Sharper than a sword? Piercing? Discerning?Graphe, a book, ink on paper doesn’t do any of these things. When we see the Bible only as the words and books it has no power. Christian or Athiest, will tell you that the Bible is a book. Logos is where many of us get stuck, being a Christian for most of my life, I get stuck here often. I seek rules, regulations, and guidelines instead of power. Most of us as Christians believe the words in THIS book are different than any other book on our shelves. We seek the words when we have a question. What good things come from being and believing this part of the Bible’s ability? What are we missing out on by only staying here and not disciplining ourselves and setting a spiritual goal to move on to Rhema?Steve defined Rhema as using God’s word for God’s plan.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
-John 15:7 ESVBy faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
-Hebrews 11:3 ESV
These verses are examples of God’s word being way more than a book or even strong suggestions. Talk in your group about the power here. How do we get to this point through discipline? What power has God truly given us with His gift of the sword to fight with, when we truly see scripture as something that has extreme power, the power to fight battles of eternal significance, the power to create life with these words, the power to move mountains and heal the sick? What is going on in your life right now that you need this power? What gets in the way of us using the power of a God’s word in our fight?